Click the AUDIO buttons to hear player spotlight interviews with Landon Pepin and Aiden Burie.
HOUGHTON---It was a night of missed opportunities for the Gladstone Braves football team Friday night in Houghton, with four empty trips into the red zone adding up to a 12-7 Braves loss. Gladstone had two Wyatt Forvilly touchdown runs called back on illegal procedure penalties in the final minute, and then on the final play of the game from the Gremlin two-yard line, a miscommunication off the snap led to a fumble that ended the game. It was the Braves' sixth consecutive loss.
Landon Pepin's 15-yard touchdown pass to Nick Proehl on the final play of the first quarter gave the Braves the lead, and Eastin Wakkuri booted the extra point kick to make it a 7-0 game. That play was set up by a huge defensive play by lineman Ben Wilson, who sacked Gremlin quarterback Brody Donnelly, forcing a fumble that was recovered by fellow Michael O'Neal.
The Gremlins closed to within 7-6 on a short touchdown pass from Donnelly to Sam Roth, but the Braves went on a 15-play drive, highlighted by a pass from Pepin to Proehl on 3rd and 16. Gladstone was on the one-yard line, but was called for a false start penalty. Then, from the six yard line, a toss to Forvilly did not make the end zone, and with no time outs remaining, the Braves went into halftime leading just 7-6.
Gladstone took the third quarter kickoff and drove from the 35 yard line to the Houghton 13-yard line. But it turned out to be another red zone disaster, as Forvilly was stopped for a two-yard loss, then the Braves were called for a holding penalty. Then, another false start penalty moved the ball back to the 26 yard-line, and after that, Copper Sanville, subbing in for Pepin, was sacked for a 16 yard loss, forcing a Braves punt.
And Houghton put together its best drive of the night, traveling 86 yards in 13 plays, with Donnelly converting a 4th-and-6 and a 3rd-and-9 with first down passes to wide open receivers. Roth scored on the one-yard run, putting Houghton ahead, 12-7.
Gladstone moved down field from their own 26 yard-line to the Houghton 25-yard-line. Forvilly broke off a 21-yard run to the Houghton four yard-line, but it was called back on a holding penalty. A bit later, the Braves had 4th-and-6 at the 21, and a short pass to Forvilly put the Braves at the sticks. Unfortunately, the refs ruled he was short of a first down, and Houghton took over with seven minutes left in the game.
It looked like the game was over when Donnelly got away for a 40-yard run to the Braves 45-yard-line. But the Gladstone defense gave the offense one last chance, with Andrew Karl gettng the sack and recovering the fumble. Braves ball at the 43 yard-line.
That set up the bizarre ending that was kind of typical for how the entire season has gone for the Braves. A Forvilly 32-yard run put the Braves in the red zone again, but even though Forvilly scored touchdowns on two consecutive plays, illegal procedure penalties erased those scores. And when the Braves turned the ball over with an ill-timed botched fourth down play, it was all over expect for a Houghton kneel-down.
Houghton (2-5) will travel to Negaunee next week, and will close the season with the Copper Bowl in Hancock. Gladstone (1-6) will be at home for the final two weeks of the season, playing Calumet next week, and Escanaba in Week Nine.
